to the services; and then the more perfect identification of the minister with the people among whom he resides. Especially may he endeavour, both personally and by the aid of his people, to draw the children to the Sabbath school, and to instill into their hearts such thoughts and principles as will lead them to the Church, and early bring them to the Saviour. Let him interest himself in the education of the children; let him also inquire into the wants and necessities of the people; let them feel that he sympathizes with them in their labours and sorrows; let him approve their efforts, so far as is proper, to gain a better livelihood; and then he will have an influence and control over them when they are incited to deeds of strife and violence. His membership, thus instructed, may become as salt to save the mass in which they mingle, and may prevent the associations from doing the mischief which designing men intend.

A mong collateral methods of usefulness, the platform is one of the most efficient. The minister will frequently be called upon to join in efforts in behalf of benevolent movements. He will be requested to address audiences upon great questions of public interest and concerning the work of various charitable associations. These associations extend beyond the limits of any one church or any one denomination; yet they perform a work which is beneficial to all, and to them the minister should be ready to contribute his influence. Such, for instance, is the Bible Society, in which every Christian should have a deep and abiding interest. Whatever may be his theological views, he supposes them to be found in the Word of God, and the diffusion of that Word will promote the general benefit. The Bible Society, in its benevolent purpose to give the Bible to every man, without comment, presents an example of the purest benevolence and the highest catholicity of spirit. Associations for the promotion of temperance also claim the minister's attention. These associations are sometimes so conducted as to be productive of evil, and, if the minister and religious people stand aloof, they will fall into the hands of men who will oppose the pulpit and really prevent the permanent reform of those whom they are trying to save. These temperance organizations, when rightly

conducted, are, like John the Baptist, forerunners of the Christian Church. Experience proves that unless reformed men are converted and brought into the Church, the temperance excitement soon passes away, and the people become worse than before. The only safety for an intemperate man is in the Divine power that is promised in the Gospel. So also, especially in cities, associations are formed to save the fallen and outcast, to provide for the aged, to prevent cruelty to children and even to animals, to maintain orphan asylums and homes for the friendless and destitute, to furnish education to the deaf and dumb, the blind and imbecile, and to aid the poor and support hospitals. All these plans afford a common ground of Christian work. They are the glory of Christianity, in that they stoop to save the lowest of the low and the vilest of the vile, as well as to lend a helping hand to the wretched and friendless of every class. To aid in labours of this kind is fitting for the minister; for he is not merely the pastor of a church, but a preacher sent from God to save and bless mankind. By these efforts also he will extend his influence beyond the sphere of his own congregation. The friends of these various reforms will love the minister who has presented their cause so earnestly and successfully before the people, and not unfrequently they will be led to attend his ministry.

He will be invited, however, to take part in services where he may not wisely go. Meetings may be held under some specious forms, really to advance the political interests of some individual or to denounce some rival. While the minister should feel a deep interest in everything which affects the interests of his country, and while, as a free man, he has an unquestionable right to cast his ballot for whom he pleases, he should be careful, as a minister, not to take part in political meetings called for the purpose merely of promoting the interests of a party or to advocate the interests of a particular man.

The preacher will occasionally exchange pulpits with the brethren of his own denomination, and in these days of Christian courtesy he will also exchange with those of different denominations. The exclusiveness of spirit which once prevailed has in great measure, happily, passed away. While there

may be a few Protestant congregations which fancy themselves to be the true Church of Christ, which have a special gate to Heaven, and close their doors against ministers of other denominations, and hand us all over to the uncovenanted mercies of the heathen; yet the great active branches of the Church are moving steadily forward to a broader platform and to a closer unity. The exclusive churches-though strong and powerful in some localities, as compared with the liberal branches-do not relatively advance with much rapidity. In the pulpit exchanges which are thus made preachers should be exceedingly careful not to violate the rules of Christian courtesy in their selection of subjects. They should strictly avoid controversial topics, and especially those points on which they may personally differ from the creed of the congregation which they address. The great fundamental truths of Christianity are common to all Evangelical Christians; the points on which they differ are comparatively few. As the salvation of a soul does not depend upon the philosophical views which may be entertained, or upon the logical results which seem to flow from them, the true preacher may find an abundance of matter which is held in common, and on which he can address the congregation. Whoever teaches a living trust in the atonement of a Divine Saviour as the only hope for sinful man, and a strict obedience to all that Christ commands, is one of the great brotherhood of Christianity. In this social intercourse of ministers and churches, true courtesy requires a conformity to the order of worship established in the different churches or congregations.

Any effort at proselyting from one church to another should be most strictly avoided. Proselytism is a species of freebooting or piracy, which ought to be as strictly condemned among churches as among nations. I do not object to a change of church relations where there is a change of doctrinal views, or where there is a strong conviction that under another form of church polity the individual may receive greater profit or may be able to do more good to a larger number of his fellow-beings. Such instances may not unfrequently occur. Any individual so changing should be kindly dismissed from their several churches,

with the prayer that the blessing of God may go with them. But when a Christian minister endeavours to draw away members from another communion for the sake of enlarging or strengthening his own, he is not only violating the principles of Christian courtesy, but the principles of common honesty. No minister should seek to enfeeble one church to build up another. Nor is it honourable to intimate that his church is so much more genteel; has men of business who will patronize young men ;. holds the key to the door of select society; and, therefore, Christians should leave their own communion and enter his. If, under such influences, people are led from one church to another, they are induced to make merchandise of the Gospel, and the spirit of a pure and earnest Christianity is defiled. Such an effort must prevent true co-operation between Christian churches. Nor is there need for such effort, for there are vast masses lying beyond the influence of any church: there is much ground yet to be occupied, and many souls are going to ruin. You are builders, young gentlemen. Let it be your aim to go out into the forest and cut down tall trees, hew them, square them, put them into your building, and raise a beautiful edifice to the glory of the great Head of the Church; but never descend so low as to steal squared timbers from other churches to build your

own.

Closely connected with this subject is the change of ministers from one denomination to another. Where these denominations do not differ in doctrines, but are simply separated on questions of church economy, there can be no impropriety in a minister's passing from one denomination to another, when circumstances seem to justify it. He preaches the same doctrines and is identified with the same general cause. But where the churches differ in doctrine such changes less frequently occur. They are, nevertheless, highly proper when the minister is led to change his doctrinal views. If he becomes satisfied that his has been in error, and can no longer conscientiously preach the doctrines of the church that ordained him, and which supports him for the purpose of preaching doctrines which they believe are in accordance with the teachings of Christ, then his duty, as a

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Christian and as a man of honour, is to resign his pulpit and to retire from the ministry of the church whose doctrines he does not believe and cannot preach. I never could understand how a minister could remain with a church whose doctrines he could not accept as his own. Such a man, so far as I can see, has either great obtuseness of intellect or great lack of moral principle. There are denominations with some of whom he could affiliate, and into whose pulpits he would be welcomed-all the world is before him—or he can, as a Mohammedan writer suggests, "set up a ladder and climb to Heaven alone."

But there are changes, as I believe, occasionally made beyond the bounds of propriety. A minister sometimes leaves a communion in which he was converted and ordained, and joins another, at the same time averring that he has not changed his opinions, and will continue to preach his former doctrines, and that his reasons for that change are simply those of personal convenience and comfort. Such changes I believe to be wrong in practice and disastrous in results. The minister occupies a false position, both to himself and to his hearers. He is supposed by the public to represent doctrines which he does not believe. He cannot preach freely, in points of doctrinal difference, his own particular views, without doing violence to the views of the church which he enters. He suffers restraint, he compromises truth for comfort, and diminishes his own self-respect and spiritual power. He injures the congregation which he addresses, for he unsettles them in their views, and sooner or later strife and discord will arise, and the church will not be a united, homogeneous, or vigorous body in its aggressive movements. The church may for a time be crowded to hear a man of talent and energy who has suddenly changed his fellowship, and it may give evidence of outward prosperity; but at the heart its vital power decays, and in the end discord, strife, and disintegration inevitably follow. The only exception is where, with his change of church fellowship, the minister actually changes his doctrinal views, and cannot conscientiously preach in harmony with the views of his church. But the worst impression is made upon the world, which calls in question the honesty of ministers, and